Asco Slask Wroclaw advanced to the ULEB Cup Last 32 with an 84-65 victory over BC Kalev/Cramo on Tuesday. The win saw Slask finish the regular season in fourth place in Group G with a 5-5 record, which sent it to the elimination rounds as one of the five best fourth-place teams. Meanwhile Kalev, which finished the season with six consecutive defeats, fell to 3-7 and last place in the group. Slask looked to dominate from the start, scoring the first 16 points of the game, as only Mateo Kedzo would score for Kalev in the first quarter, which ended 22-12. The visitors got within 27-21 before Dominik Tomczyk led a 7-0 spurt to make it 46-32 at halftime. Jared Homan, Dawan Robinson and Torrell Martin pushed the lead to 21 midway through the third period and Slask coasted the rest of the way. Robinson had another strong all-around performance with 12 points, 4 assists and 4 steals, while Homan led Slask with 15 points. Aivaras Kiausas added 13 points, Martin 11 and Rashid Atkins 10. Kedzo led Kalev with a season-high 18 points and Rait Keerles had 9 points and 7 rebounds.
Slask was determined to take Kalev out of the game early and was aggressive from the very start. Homan controlled the paint and Martin heated up outside for the game’s first 10 points. More baskets by Tomczyk, Kiausas and Atkins gave the hosts a commanding 16-0 start after five minutes. Kedzo finally got the visitors on the scoreboard with a three-pointer, but Homan answered to show who was the boss. Still Kedzo persisted, scoring all of his team’s first quarter points to get within 22-12 after 10 minutes. The first non-Kedzo points for Kalev came in the form of a Valmo Kriisa triple as the visitors started to close the gap. Baskets by Gregor Arbet and Kedzo got Kale within 27-21, however Atkins and Robinson soon had the hosts back up by double figures. Arbet and Kristjan Kangur kept Kalev going for several minutes until a 7-0 spurt fuelled by Tomczyk increased the cushion to 46-32 at halftime. Kalev opened the second half with a Keerles hoop, but basket by Homan, Robinson and a Martin triple soon had Slask up 19. Kedzo tried to answer again, but Kiausas put the hosts up 21 before a Kriisa triple made it 61-43 heading into the fourth quarter. Newcomer Ed Scott fired in a basket and a triple at the start of period for his first points with the team and to give the visitors hope. Despite Scott’s best efforts, baskets by Kiausas soon had the hosts up 75-55, signaling the end for Kalev.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
ULEBcup.com
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